Devang and Chaitali Kothari knew they didn't have the experience
or the knowledge to open an independent dry cleaning company. But
when they were looking for a business that was financially
attractive and not too high-maintenance, a franchised dry
cleaning service turned out to be the perfect fit. As they soon
learned, the couple's biggest challenge wasn't figuring out how
to get red wine out of dress shirts: it was dealing with learning
how to manage entry-level employees. Here's what they've learned
over the last six years.

Name: Devang and Chaitali Kothari

Franchise owned: CD One Price Cleaners in Orland
Park, Ill., (suburb south of Chicago) and another location in
Chicago Heights, Ill.

We wanted to reduce the learning curve and buy into a proven
business model. In our opinion, this reduces your risk and allows
you to learn from a proven system. For example, there is no way
we could have started a dry cleaning business on our own -- we
wouldn't have known where to start.

What were you doing before you became a franchise
owner?

Chaitali was an IT consultant and Devang worked as an equity
research (stock) analyst.

Why did you choose this particular franchise?

First, we wanted a business that was both financially attractive
and provided us a decent lifestyle. Second, we were looking for a
business that was scalable and would not require our constant
presence at the store. Last, we wanted to work with a franchisor
that was supportive and acted as a true business partner. CD One
Price met all of these criteria.

How much would you estimate you spent before you were
officially open for business?

Almost all of the investment is in overhead, which has to be in
place before you can open. Therefore, we spent almost the entire
investment, well over $500,000, before we were open. I am
not comfortable sharing specific numbers.

Where did you get most of your advice/do most of your
research?

We had a family member that was in the dry cleaning industry and
introduced us to CD One. We relied on his advice quite a bit. In
addition, we spoke to a few existing franchisees, which was very
helpful.

There were a number of challenges, but the primary one was
working with entry-level workers. Since both of us worked in
corporate jobs, we did not anticipate the challenges of employing
entry-level workers.

Also, we were probably not very good managers our first
year. It was a skill we learned over time.

What advice do you have for individuals who want to own
their own franchise?

Don't rush into it -- it takes a while to find a
business/franchise that will meet your criteria. Be wary of any
franchisors that try to get you to make a quick decision.
Research, research, and research -- you have to speak to existing
franchisees and really understand the challenges of the business.
Most existing franchisees will be hesitant to say anything bad --
so you really have to be persistent in getting both the good and
the bad.

What’s next for you and your business?

We are planning to continue to grow our CD One Price Cleaners
business with the addition of new stores, both locally and in new
markets. We expect steady growth over the next few years.